MEASUREMENT OF SNAP-10A SNAPTRAN KINETICS PARAMETERS BY REACTOR NOISE TECHNIQUES

Technical Report · Mon Nov 11 04:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4048700

Randall, R L; Grayban, G R

The magnitude of the reactor transfer function was measured over the frequency region from 10 to 80,000 cps using noise analysis techniques. Graphs of the transfer function revealed the presence of three break frequencies, indicating the effects of reflected neutron kinetic behavior. A simplified theoretical derivation of the spectral density function of high frequency reactor noise is presented for a source-free, two-region (core and reflector) critical reactor with the detector in the reflector. A curve fitting code was used to compare the data to the equation representing the transfer function of the theoretical two-region reactor kinetics model. The values of the three break frequencies obtained from the computed best fit to the experimental data were 1148, 10330, and 85,177 radians/sec, corresponding to reactor system time constants of 871, 96.8, and 11.7 mu sec, respectively. Simultaneous solution of the equations associated with the three break frequencies, gave values for the neutron fractions and the lifetimes. (auth)

• Research Organization: Atomics International. Div. of North American Aviation, Inc., Canoga Park, Calif.
• DOE Contract Number: AT(11-1)-GEN-8
• NSA Number: NSA-18-019408
• OSTI ID: 4048700
• Report Number(s): NAA-SR-Memo-9160
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BACKGROUND
CRITICALITY
DIAGRAMS
EQUATIONS
FREQUENCY
LIFETIME
MEASURED VALUES
NEUTRONS
NUMERICALS
PROGRAMMING
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
REFLECTION
REFLECTORS
SNAP-10 SERIES
SPECTRA
TRANSFER FUNCTIONS
ZONES